If you're wondering when's a good time to get a table at London's hard-to-book restaurants, the midweek lunch spot is your best bet. Not only are you likely to be in with more of a chance of snapping up a table, but you'll also get the opportunity to eat in some of London's top restaurants often for less than the price you'd spend on a meal out in your local gastropub. Here are our picks for some of the best lunchtime deals in town. It's not an exhaustive list, but it's a good start - how about trying one a month and working your way through?
A few things to note:
- Always make sure that the set lunch deal is running for the day of your booking
- Although the set lunches are pretty rigid in themselves, if there's something you've always wanted to try from a restaurant and don't mind paying full price for that one dish - you might be able to add it on to what you're ordering.
- And if you want to stick to the budget, be very wary of the wine list in these places, that way penury lies.
Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester
53 Park Ln, Mayfair, London W1K 1QA
This three Michelin-starred restaurant (a rarity in London) from this esteemed French chef is hidden inside the Dorchester and normally costs an arm and a leg. The set price lunch is an excellent way to test the place out without hurting your bank balance too much and changes every Wednesday.
The choice: Three to four options per course.
The offer: Three courses (amuse-bouche and mignardises too), two glasses of wine, half a bottle of mineral water and coffee or tea for £75.
Available: Tuesday to Friday
Find out more about Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester
Alyn Williams at The Westbury37 Conduit St, Mayfair, London W1S 2YF
Alyn Williams' Michelin-starred restaurant is a perennial favourite in London. Expect classic French cooking from the chef inside the Westbury Hotel just off Regent Street. Unlike many, it is offering its set lunch on a Saturday too.
The choice: Two options per course during the week and three options on Saturday.
The offer: Tuesday - Friday: three courses for £35, Saturday: three courses for £40
Available: Tuesday to Saturday
Find out more about Alyn Williams at The Westbury
Aqua ShardThe Shard, 31 St. Thomas Street, London SE1 9RY
Dinner in any of the Shard's restaurants can be hard on the wallet, but head up there for lunch and you can take advantage of Aqua Shard's set price lunch. And yes, there's one of the best views in town to enjoy while you're there. So that's a bonus.
The choice: Three to four options per course.
The offer: Two courses £29 or three for £36 (£38 including a belliini)
Available: Monday to Friday
Find out more about Aqua Shard
AquavitSt James's Market 1 Carlton Street, London SW1Y 4QQ
St James isn't the first, second or even third place you'd look to for a bargain meal out in London but two courses for under £25 is a bit of a steal in these here parts. Expect a bit of Nordic action here.
The choice: Two options per course
The offer: Two courses, £20, three courses £24
Available: Monday to Friday
Bar Boulud London66 Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7LA
Daniel Boulud's Bar Boulud London is a perennial hit since the French chef (via America) came to the basement at the Mandarin Oriental. This is the second restaurant in the Mandarin Oriental to offer a good lunch deal (although sadly their great burgers aren't included). Open from 4 December.
The choice: Two choices for main course, but daily changing menu.
The offer: 2 courses for £20 or 3 courses for £24
Available: Monday to Sunday from 12 to 6.30pm
Find out more about Bar Boulud London
Bernardi's62 Seymour St, Marylebone, London W1H 5BN
This Italian restaurant in Marylebone is from Cubitt House alumni and serves up warming Italian fare and is a great option for dodging the shopping crowds. And there's a decent bar downstairs if you fancy a quick post-lunch drink.
The choice: Three choices per course.
The offer: Two courses for £19.
Available: Monday to Friday from 12 to 3pm.
Find out more about Bernardi's
Caractere209 Westbourne Park Road, London W11 1EA
The latest generation of the Roux family has entered the restaurant business as Emily Roux teamed up with her husband (the head chef) Diego Ferrari to launch this Notting Hill restaurant. The tasting menu is split into five sections and you can choose one of your courses from those.
The choice: Choice of five dishes
The offer: Three courses for £39
Available: Daily
The Coal ShedOne Tower Bridge, 4 Crown Square, London SE1 2RZ
This Brighton fave has landed in London at the One Tower Bridge location. Expect a mix of seafood, steaks and grills - with a big emphasis on seasonality. And the desserts aren't to be missed. They're extra on top of the lunch deal, but worth it.
The choice: 6 choices (main course only)
The offer: All options £10.95
Available: Monday to Saturday 12 – 6.30 pm
Find out more about The Coal Shed
Core by Clare Smyth92 Kensington Park Rd, London W11 2PN
This is Clare Smyth's first solo restaurant and became an immediate hit, winning two Michelin stars in less than a year, as well as getting a Best Female Chef awards from the World's 50 Best team.
The choice: Four choices each course
The offer: Three courses for £65
Available: Thursday - Saturday
Corrigan's Mayfair28 Upper Grosvenor St, Mayfair, London W1K 7EH
Legendary Irish chef Richard Corrigan's Mayfair restaurant (around the back of the Grosvenor) is the higher end of his two London restaurants (he also owns Bentley's) and serves up a seasonal menu at lunch. Turn up early (or stay late) for excellent cocktails at Dickie's Bar.
The choice: Three options per course. Cheese as a supplement.
The offer: Two courses for £28, three for £34.
Available: Monday to Saturday 12-3pm
Find out more about Corrigan's Mayfair
Craft LondonPeninsula Square, London SE10 0SQ
Stevie Parle's east London restaurant is about as seasonal and locally sourced as you can get in the capital. It's easily the best thing by the O2 and a perfect pit-stop if you're waiting/meeting someone in the area (and as the offer is all day - handy in the evening too). But it's really worth travelling up there for excellent cooking (and make sure to pop into the deli downstairs too).
The choice: Tasting menu.
The offer: Three courses + snacks for £38
Available: All day, every day.
Find out more about Craft London
La Dame de PicFour Seasons Hotel at Ten Trinity Square, 10 Trinity Square, London EC3N 4AJ
Sophie-Anne Pic (with Michelin stars to her name in France) has brought her style of high-end French dining to the rather opulent Four Seasons right by Tower Bridge, and swiftly won a Micheli star too.
The choice: 3 options per courses
The offer: £32 for 3 courses, £42 for 3
Find out more about La Dame de Pic
Dinner by Heston BlumenthalMandarin Oriental Hyde Park, 66 Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7LA
Heston and Ashley Palmer-Watts' Mandarin Oriental restaurant is always one of the most popular restaurants in London thanks to Heston's name on the door. You won't get the Tipsy Cake or Meat Fruit for this price but it's a good way to experience one of the hottest tickets in town - and you can always add one of those dishes on top too. (Reopens 4th December)
The choice: 2 options per courses
The offer: £45 for 3 courses (£9.50 supplement for cheese)
Available: Monday to Friday from 12-2pm
Find out more about Dinner by Heston
Duddell's9a St Thomas Street, Southwark, London SE1 9RY
Duddell's first found life in Hong Kong before finding a second home in a grade II listed building in London Bridge (it really is an impressive building). The lunch menu lets you choose a selection of dim sum and main course. It doesn't feature their famed goldfish dumplings but you can always add those on.
The choice: Six dim sum to choose from, four mains
The offer: Three dim sum and one main for £24
Available: Monday to Friday from 12-2pm
Elystan Street43 Elystan St, Chelsea, London SW3 3NT
This is chef Phil Howard's main restaurant in Chelsea, so if you're a fan of his cooking, this is the place to come. It's earned him a Michelin star and while dinner at Elystan Place can end up being pretty punchy, this makes their set lunch deal an even bigger draw.
The offer: Two courses £35, three courses £42.50
Available: Monday to Friday from 12.30 - 14.45
Find out more about Elystan Street
FeraClaridge’s, Brook St, Mayfair, London W1K 4HR
Simon Rogan may not be involved any more, but this restaurant is still the main attraction at Claridge's and it has a Michelin star to boot, making it a popular choice. The ethos of minimal waste remains and it's a lovely looking room too.
The choice: Two - three options per course
The offer: Three courses for £42 (For Fera's Signature Snacks an extra £10, additional cheese course is £16 or have it instead of dessert for £8.)
Available: Monday to Sunday
Frenchie16 Henrietta St, London WC2E 8QH
This Parisian import quickly got a lot of positive buzz, showing that it is possible to make a very successful move from Paris to London. The set menu at lunch is an ideal chance to try it out.
The offer: Two courses for £27 and three for £30
Available: Monday to Friday
The Game BirdThe Stafford London, 16-18 St James's Place, London SW1A 1NJ
This is the main restaurant at the Stafford Hotel, where the food is now looked after by ex Salt Yard's Ben Tish. Expect an emphasis on British cooking in the main restaurant. And a bit of game.
The choice: Three options per course
The offer: Two courses for £25, three courses for £30
Find out more about The Game Bird
Galvin at WindowsHilton, 22 Park Ln, Mayfair, London W1K 1BE
Managed by the masterful Fred Sirieix (he of First Dates fame), here's where you can experience fantastic food with that 'magic touch', enjoying one of the best views in London on top of the Park Lane Hilton Hotel overlooking Hyde Park.
The choice: Three options per course (£8 supplement for cheese or £12 as an extra course)
The offer: Two courses for £31, three courses for £37 or go for 3 courses, half a bottle of wine, water and a coffee for £58
Find out more about Galvin at Windows
Gazelle48 Albermarle Street, London W1S 4DH
This restaurant features drinks from Tony Conigliaro and food by ex El Bulli chef Rob Roy Cameron. It's a restaurant open to all, but with the feel of a private members club. Cocktails aren't included - but we think you should pay the extra for the fennel and spelt bread which is wonderful.
The choice: 3-4 choices per course
The offer: Three courses for £30
Gymkhana42 Albemarle St, Mayfair, London W1S 4JH
One of the best Indian restaurants to open in London for years, Gymkhana has a great entry-level set lunch menu making this Mayfair spot even more of an attractive proposition.
The choice: Five options for starters and main and four for dessert - with mains served with Dal Maharani, Saag Paneer. The meal also kicks off with cassava, lentil and rice papads with shrimp chutney and mango chutney.
The offer: Two courses for £25 or three for £30 (add a carafe of wine for £16 or house punch for £9)
HIDE85 Piccadilly, London W1J 7NB
After finishing up his eponymous restaurant in Fitzrovia, Ollie Dabbous went big with his next - the very impressive looking three-storey HIDE in Mayfair. The top floor - Upper - is where you'll see the main Dabbous tasting menu.
The offer: Five courses for £48
Available: Monday - Sunday
HawksmoorSpitalfields, Borough, City, Mayfair, Covent Garden, Knightsbridge
Famed for serving some of the best steaks in town, Hawksmoor also offer a very good deal on their Express Menu at lunchtimes across almost all of their restaurants (and early evening too).
The choice: Three - four choices per course, including rump or fillet tail (£5 supplement).
The offer: Two courses for £26 or three for £29.
Available: Monday to Saturday (times change at each branch)
Helene Darroze at the Connaught
Carlos Pl, Mayfair, London W1K 2AL
Her two Michelin-star cooking is exquisite and who wouldn't want to try the food of chef Helene Darroze?
The choice: Nine choices in total, with options like such as cod, lamb, chicken, rhubarb or chocolate.
The offer: Choose three items - 2 savoury, 1 sweet, and it includes 2 glasses of wine from the list, a bottle of water and tea and coffee for £55.
Find out more about Helene Darroze at the Connaught
Hereford Road3 Hereford Rd, Bayswater, London W2 4AB
Hereford Road has a regularly changing menu of seasonal British classics, led by chef/co-founder Tom Pemberton. The set lunch changes daily and is a pretty damned good deal.
The choice: Three starters, three mains and three dessert choices.
The offer: Two courses for £13.50 or three for £15.50.
Available: Monday to Friday
Find out more about Hereford Road
Hix Soho66-70 Brewer St, Soho, London W1F 9UP
Mark Hix's Soho restaurant is a popular media hangout and great for lunch with a lovely airy dining room. If your lunch here inspires you to take the afternoon off, we recommend heading downstairs to the cocktail bar afterwards (ask them to reserve a space while you're on dessert).
The choice: Three options per course
The offer: Two courses for £19.50, three for £23.95.
Available: 12 - 6.30pm every day
Ikoyi1 St James's Market, St. James's, London SW1Y 4AH
This restaurant in St James's Market really adds something new to the London restaurant scene (and earned a Michelin star in double-quick time). The set lunch is an ideal opportunity to try out Jeremy Chan's inventive cooking.
The offer: Set menu of three courses (no dessert) for £35
Available: Monday - Friday
Indian Accent16 Albemarle St, Mayfair, London W1S 4HW
This high-end Indian restaurant in Mayfair got a rare five-star review from Fay Maschler, had previous success in New Delhi and New York and met with similar acclaim in London.
The offer: Two courses for £25
Available: Daily
Find out more about Indian Accent
Kerridge's Bar and GrillCorinthia Hotel, Whitehall Pl, Westminster, London SW1A 2BD
Tom Kerridge earned two Michelin stars at the Hand and Flowers in Marlow and this sees him setting up shop at the Corinthia hotel for his London debut. The main dinner menu isn't on the cheap side (the fish and chips is pricey) so this is an ideal way to give the restaurant a whirl.
The choice: Two options per course
The offer: Two courses for £24 or three for £29.50.
Available: Daily 12-7pm
Find out more about Kerridge's Bar and Grill
The Ledbury127 Ledbury Rd, London W11 2AQ
Brett Graham's restaurant is in the World's 50 Best restaurants list and is one of the best in London. So if you want to try out this Australian chef's cuisine and the main tasting menu is out of your budget, lunch is your best bet. it's not the cheapest on the list - but it's definitely the best way to check it out.
The choice: Tasting menu.
The offer: Four-course menu for £80.
Available: Wednesday to Sunday
Find out more about The Ledbury
Le Gavroche43 Upper Brook St, Mayfair, London W1K 7QR
One of London's classiest restaurants this can also end up being one of London's most expensive. Go to Le Gavroche if you want to experience some of the most exquisite service and classic food in London and their legendary lunch deal will help you avoid a phone call with your bank manager.
The choice: Three options per course
The offer: Set lunch for £72 (inc service) includes three courses, half a bottle of wine, half-bottle of mineral water, petit fours and coffee
Available: Wednesday- Friday
Find out more about Le Gavroche
36 Snowsfields, London SE1 3SU
Leandro Carreira's London Bridge restaurant is a minimalist dream, serving up his modern interpretation of Portuguese food. The set menu here features genuinely inventive dishes and is a good introduction to his food.
The offer: The set lunch is two courses for £22 and three for £25
Available: Tuesday to Friday
MarcusThe Berkeley, Wilton Pl, Belgravia, London SW1X 7RL
Marcus Wareing's flagship restaurant (and the only one where you'll find him in the kitchen) is one of London's few two Michelin-starred restaurants - which he retained after a major refurb.
The choice: Three options per course.
The offer: Three courses for £55
Available: Monday - Saturday
Mere74 Charlotte St, Fitzrovia, London W1T
This is the first solo restaurant from ex-Le Gavroche chef Monica Galetti, with her husband David Galetti in charge of the wine. So you'll want a quick pit-stop in their bar before dining here too.
The choice: Two options per course
The offer: Two courses for £29 and three for £35 with cheese for a £6.50 supplement.
Available: Monday - Friday
MuranoQueen St, Mayfair, London W1J 5PP
Angela Hartnett's flagship, Michelin starred restaurant serves up exquisite Italian food but at a price. Happily, the set menu brings it down to most people's budgets.
The choice: Three options per course
The offer: Two courses for £32 and three for £37 (cheese £8 supplement).
The Ninth22 Charlotte St, Fitzrovia, London W1T 2NB
Jun Tanaka's Michelin-starred Fitzrovian restaurant serves up a selection of delectable small plates and their set menu for lunch is a pretty good deal.
The choice: Two courses for £21 or three for £27 (with an option of a glass of wine for £32). Monday to Saturday 12pm to 3pm
Noble Rot51 Lamb's Conduit St, London WC1N 3NB
With a menu designed in collaboration with the Sportsman, and serving up bread to cross town for and one of the best wine lists in town, this is one of the top restaurants in the Holborn area.
The choice: One option per course.
The offer: Two courses for £16, three courses for £20
Available: Monday - Saturday
Oldroyd344 Upper St, London N1 0PD
Tom Oldroyd's first restaurant on his own has proven to be a huge hit (also winning our best newcomer award when it opened). If you need a set lunch in Islington, look no further.
The choice: Three options per course.
The offer: Two courses for £16, three courses for £19
Available: Monday - Friday 12 - 4pm
Pollen Street Social8-10 Pollen St, Mayfair, London W1S 1NQ
Jason Atherton has a mini restaurant empire across London, but this is his flagship and the one where you may see him in the kitchen too.
The choice: Three options per course, cheese requires £8 supplement.
The offer:Three courses for 37
Available: Monday - Saturday 12 - 2.30pm
Find out more about Pollen Street Social
Quaglino's16 Bury St, St. James's, London SW1Y 6AJ
The revamped Quaglino's has been a huge hit since it opened, offering one of the blingiest dining rooms in town.
The choice: Four options per course.
The offer: Two courses and a glass of wine for £27 or three courses for £35 inc a glass of "bubbles"
Find out more about Quaglino's
Restaurant Gordon Ramsay68 Royal Hospital Rd, Chelsea, London SW3 4HP
Gordon's flagship restaurant on Royal Hospital Road is still damned hard to get into. It retained its three Michelin-starred status after the departure of Clare Smyth, so it's still a big draw.
The choice: Two options per course
The offer: Three courses for £70
Available: Monday to Friday.
Find out more about Restaurant Gordon Ramsay
Roganic5-7 Blandford St, Marylebone, London W1U 3DB
Roganic was originally a long-term pop-up and this sees it return to London in a permanent form (and since he left Fera, Simon Rogan's only London base). Expect an ever-changing menu which the business lunch should give you a taster of.
The choice: Set menu
The offer: Four courses for £35
Available: Tuesday - Saturday
Sartoria20 Savile Row, Mayfair, London W1S 3PR
This Mayfair Italian restaurant has Francesco Mazzei in charge of the kitchen - his main high-end place - and it's become a hot restaurant in the process.
The choice: Three choices per course
The offer: Two courses for £26.50, three courses for £32.50
Savoy GrillSavoy Hotel, London WC2R 0EU
This iconic British venue is one of Gordon Ramsay's restaurants - and the Savoy Grill remains one of London's dining institutions.
The choice: Four choices per course, sides extra
The offer: Two courses for £36, three courses for £40
Find out more about Savoy Grill
Serge et le Phoque20 - 21 Newman Street, London W1T 1PG
This high-end French restaurant comes via Hong Kong, so expect a little twist on that French menu.
The choice: A large choice - but with supplements needed throughout.
The offer: Two courses for £22, three courses for £26
Available: Monday - Friday
Find out more about Serge et le Phoque
Socal Wine and Tapas39 James St, Marylebone, London W1U 1DL
Jason Atherton's wine bar is only just around the corner from Selfridges - ideal if you need to snack on tapas and wine for lunch.
The offer: Two courses with wine £16, 3 courses with wine £20
Available: 12pm and 2.30pm Monday-Friday and 12pm - 3.30pm on Saturdays
Find out more about Social Wine and Tapas
SpringSomerset House, Lancaster Pl, London WC2R 1LA
Skye Gyngell opened this restaurant in Somerset House to great acclaim, as much for the food as for the spectacular dining room. Expect a highly seasonal menu here.
The choice: Two choices per course.
The offer: Two courses for £27.50, three courses for £31.50
Available: Every day
St Leonards70 Leonard Street, London EC2A 4QX
This Shoreditch restaurant from Jackson Boxer and Andrew Clarke puts a mix of cooking over fire and a raw bar at the heart of the menu. The menu changes every day and that includes the set menu section.
The choice: Two choices per course.
The offer: Two courses for £25, three courses for £30
Available: Every day
Find out more about St Leonards
Restaurant Story199 Tooley St, London SE1 2JX
Having won a Michelin star a scant five months after opening, Tom Sellers' Bermondsey restaurant is a must-visit, if you can get a table. Your best bet is to try at lunchtime.
The choice: A shorter version of the main tasting menu (four courses, not available in December).
The offer: £50 (including the beef dripping candle)
Available: Tuesday to Thursday.
StreetXO15 Old Burlington St, Mayfair, London W1S
The crazy cocktails you'll want to try here at dinner can make dinner expensive at David Munoz's London restaurant. Better to go here for lunch instead when you can still try the signature dishes for less.
The choice: The Express Lunch Menu has four of the restaurant's signature dishes.
The offer: £25 (and £5 extra for the dessert of the day). Minimum two people.
Available: Monday - Friday
The Square6-10 Bruton St, Mayfair, London W1J 6PU
The Square has had a big new refurb and a new chef to boot. So if you fancy taking a look at the new place (and it's changed quite a bit) the set lunch is a good plan.
The choice: Two options per course.
The offer: Three courses for £37, six-course tasting menu for £60
Available: Monday to Saturday.
Find out more about The Square
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